Label-affixing mechanism.



P, Q. WQQBLAEB.

LABEL AFPIXING HEUHANISH.

APPLICATION FILED mm. 18, 1906.

91 8,8 1 1 Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

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. adap UNITED STATES PATENT err-Ion,

FRANK 0. lYOODLi-\XD,OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

LABEL-AFFIXING MECH NISM.

no. 918,81 1. I

Application filed June 18 T 0 all whom it may concern: Be it known'that I, FRANK O. WooDLANn, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vorcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Label-Aiiixing Mechanism, of which the following is a speci fication, reference being made therein to the accompanying drawings.

My present invention relates to the construction of wipers, more especially designed for affixing labels to the necks of bottles or similar articles, and to the combinations of the same with means for carrying and operating the Wipers, and with other mechanisms that may be employed in bottle labeling machines; the objectbeing to afford a sinfple, inexpensive and efficientwiping means ted for labels-that-are to be laid approximately direct tending some two thirds, more or less,

around the circumference thereof. Also,

to provide a simple wiper construction for the purpose set forth, whereby the wipers are, to a more uniform degree, rendered conformable to the curvature of the article or surface to which the labels are applied.

Another object is to providea wiper-supporting device comprising a tipping lever and means for independently actuating said tippin tion 0 the wiper with respect to the central plane of the work or line of wiping movement, as more fully hereinafter explained. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

wherein' Figure 1* represents a front view of a wiper mechanism embodying my invention; the action of thewiper devices, when passing below the curve of the bottle neck,

eing indicated by dottedline on one half of the figure. Fig. Z'represents a plan view of the Wiper mechanism, and i 1g. 3 shows an end view, top side, and section of the slitted rubber wiper-pad. v The wiper mechanism as herein shown and described, is adapted for use in labeling machines of the character described in my rial No. 197,485, or

for Letters Patent, Se-

previous application v maclnnes 111 which the wipers etl ect their work by similar I. The Wiper-carrying arms have reciprocating mo ement carrying the wiperspast the bottle or article to which thelabels'are tube afiixed. Said arms also have lateral IllQW-if- Specification of Letters Patent.

about the article and 6X' lever for controlling the lateral relaoperation.

Patented Apr-i120. 1909.

, ieoe. Serial No. 822,198.

ment, preferably by swinging upon pivoting axles, and are controlled and perated by suitable means whereby the opposite wipers are closed together during their downward movement and opened or-separzu'ed while executing their upward movement. The mechanisms for thus operating the itripercarrying arms, and for pasting and delivering labels, are not shown in the acctnnpanY- ing drawings, since the construction thereof is not a constituent l'eature of the proscnt invention; but such mechanism may be organized for operation substantially as dcscrihed in my previous application for Lett'ers Patent above named; or in any suit able and ellicient manner whereby .t he labels are properly presented and the wiper-carrying arins actuated with movements such as herein stated.

Referring to the drawings, the letter A indicates a portion of the labeling machine frame; B the bottle or article to which labels are to be affixed; l? the bottle-supporting rest, at a central location in respect to the )ath of the wipers.

C in icates the wiper-carrying arms, which are connected with a reciprocating slide (not shown) by the shafts or pivoting axles 2, on which said arms have rocking action, controlled by, suitable means for cheating the action specified.

The numeral denotes body-label wipers, which are of approved form and secured up'on suitable seats upon the wiper-carrying arms, as shown in Fig. 2.

As a feature of the present invention the neclelabel wi )Gl's are respectively supported upon t re upper inwardly curved ends of tipping levers 6 that are lulcrumed, bysuitable axis pivots 9, to the lower part of depending brackets or hangers C rigidly attached to the end portions of the wiper-arms (3. Said hangers are provided with suitable bearing hubs or bosses 8 for supporting the pivoting axles 9 which are disposed parallel with each other, and to the plane of the wiper-arms, or approximately so; and the wiper-levers 6 are arranged to swing or oscillate laterally. The wiper-levers extend above and below their pivot centers, as shown; the upper curved arms of said levers being each provided with a socket or sent in or upon which the wiper proper .13 secured by scrcws or other elilcient means, with its working edge projecting inward or toward the opposite wiper, and with n more or less dcg'rcc ol unward inclination. The lower arms of the wi er-levers extend some distance below the fu crum axis 9, and each lever is provided with a cam-engaging member or roller 1.2; the lever being somewhat offset rearward, if desired, to bring the .roller into alinement with stationary cam members or inclined surfaces 13.'for1ned on a casting-or piece a that is firmly secured to the frame. A. The levers 6 are provided with a retracting spring for normally forcing their upper ends ,outward. Said springs, in the present instance, consist of contractile wire .coil-s strained from a stud or holder on the head 15 of the lever to. a stud or holder fixed on an outwardly projecting member 10 of the hanger C, rsillustrated. A back stop 4 is rovided for hmiting the swing of the wiperever when drawn back by the spring.

The shape of the wiper. pads may be modiQ fied to suit different shapes of labels or peculiarities of surface to which labels are in various instances affixed. An efficient form is separately shown in Fig. 3. Said wi er 2 consists of a pad of rubber, or simi a1 moderatelyflexible and elastic material, rovided at its working end. with a series of incisions or slits 7 the slits entering from the .upper and under surfaces alternately 3 and extending but partially through the thickness of the pad fabric. This affords a wiping end that can readily conform :itself to the swell'or longitudinal curvature or to irregularities on the necks of bottles, while 35 .the wiper-face is being drawn over the transverse or circumferential curvature of the bottle neck; The slits are formed by knife cuts at intervals of one fourth to one half inch apart, .more or less, and all extend- 40 ing in the direction of the wiping action. Such cuts form no appreciable opening in the pad except when t e pad is strained or curved transversely to the slits but under the latter condition they open and render the ressure of the wiper more uniformly yiel able and less liable to tear some kinds of labels.

In the operation: the labels L L pro erly glued or gummed, by suitable means t erefor, are presented at the positions for their affixment to the bottle, and there clamped by a suitable grip device K, as heretofore practiced. The wiper-carrying arms 0 are rought into position with the wipers above the labels, and then moved downward past the bottle-rest. The wipers 3 wipe-on. the body-label L and the wipers 5 act upon the. neck-label L. At the first part of the wiping movement the levers 6 and the cams 13control the wipers 5 to pass down the sides of the bottle-neck B until they, approximately reach the sides where the circumference makes its underward curvature, at which 1 time the rollers 12 on the lower members of '65 the respective levers 6 run upon the outward the tipping wiper-levers.

inclines of the cams 13, thereby causing a movement of the levers that tips inward their upper ends, carrying the wipers 5. beneath the under curved ,surface of the bottle-neck, (see position indicated bydotte'd lines at theleft on Fig. 1) so that the flexible end of the wiper 5 wi es-on the depending end of the neck-labe below the central diameter in an eflicient and ready manner. The wiping on of the body-label and the necklabel are performed simultaneously, or approximately so, at a'single movement of the wiper-carrying arms C; but the controlling of the neck wipers 5 in their lateral relation to the central plane, or with respect to the circumferential contour of the object wiped, is effected independently of the action of the body-label wipers and by means of When the wiper carrying arms are rocked outward for their 35 u ward return the levers 6 and wipers 5 are a so rocked outward bodily therewith, and the rollers 12 pass upward: at the inner sides of the cams 13 without contact; the wiperseat ends of said levers being at such times held back by the retracting springs.

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. A lal'iel-wiping mechanism, comprising a pair of vertically reciprocating laterally .rockable wiper-carrying arms, a pair of tipping wiper-levers, having upwardly projecting inwardly curved wiper-supporting ends,

the wipers iixe'd thereon, fulcrum pivots for said wiper-levers, depending pivot-supporting hangers in connection wit 1 said reciprocating wiper-carrying arms, stationary cam surfaces against which the depending ends of said levers respectively contact to effect an inward movement of the wipers during the latter portion of the-wiping operation, and means for reciprocating the wipercarrying arms.

2. In a label+aflixing-mechanism, the combination, with astationary bottle-supporting rest, a pair of horizontally-dispose latorally swinging wiper-carrying arms, bodylabel wipers fixed thereon, and means for vertically reciprocating said wiper-carrying arms; of a. pair of upright inwardly curved wiper-levers having neck-label wipers fixed thereon, fulcrumpivoting axles for said wiper-levers arranged in parallel. relation and supported in bearing-brackets at the-end of the wiper-carrying arms, said wiper-levers arranged to swing laterally in relation to the direction of their reciproeat-i've movement, and means that engages with and controls said wiper-levers, to effect an inward movement of the wipers relatively to the wipercarrying arms, after the said wipers pass the outer curve of the bottle and at the latter part of the wiping operation, substantially as set forth.

3. In a label-wiping mechanism for bottlelabeling machines, in combination, substantially as described, the bottle supporting rest, horizontally disppsed upwardly and downwardly reciprocating wipercarrying arms provided with rigidly attached dependbrackets having pivot-bearing hubs or bosses formed thereon; upright laterally swinging wiper-levers t'ulcrumed on said brackets and extending above and below their fulcrum, the fulcrum-pivoting axles disposed parallel to eaclrother and to the wipercarrying arms, the upper ends of said ,means for returning the wiper-levers to normal position.

4. In a label afiixing mechanism, a wiper composed of a moderately flexible elastic rubberv pad having its wiping end slitted by incisions or knifecuts partially through the fabric at short'intervals apart, the slits disposed longitudinally in the direction of the wiping action.

5. 'In a label wiping mechanism, a Wiper consisting of a pad of moderately flexible elastic material, having its Working edge provided with a series of alternately disposed slits entering at opposite faces of the pad and extending but partially through the fabric.

6. In a label-wiping mechanism, in com bination with a bottle support, a set of bodylabel wipers having vertical movement, and a set of neck-label wipers having vertical and. lateral bodily movement while passing the position at which the wiping on of the label is cll'ected, and means for imparting the movements thereto.

7. In a label wiping mechanism, in combination with a bottle-supporting rest, a pair of laterally rockable main wiper-carrying arms pivotally supported upon vertically reciprocating axes, a body-label wiper mounted upon each or" said carrier-arms, a pair of neck-label wipers, carriers therefor movably supported upon the respective main wipercarrying arms, to afl'ord independent lateral bodily movement of said neck-label wipers,

and means for independently controlling each of saidneclewiper carriers to change the lateral relation of the neck-label wipers in respect to the central vertical plane of the bottle-supporting rest.

Witness my handthis 15th day of June 1906.

FRANK o. WOODLAND.

\Vitnesses:

CHAS. H. BURLEIGH, ELLA P. BLENUS. 

